This paper will use several terms and phrases in the manner defined below to facilitate an understanding of the invention. As used herein, the term “photoreaction” refers to a reaction in which one or more reactants form a product in the presence of photons. Several aflatoxins are photoreactive in the presence of water, co-reactive solvents or other participants in photo-reactions and photons. Aflatoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by fungi. Some aflatoxins produce characteristic fluorescence at certain wavelengths. Some of the photoreaction products of aflatoxins also produce fluorescence.
As the name suggests, aflatoxins are toxic to humans and most animals. Foodstuffs and animal feeds are routinely tested; however, the tests are time consuming and reagent intensive.
It would be desirable to have devices and methods which can identify aflatoxins in samples. As used herein, the term “sample” is used broadly to mean a material to be tested. In the context of aflatoxins, such samples are typically a tissue, food, processed or unprocessed material which is used in food or pharmaceutical processing, preparation and manufacturing, and materials taken from solid surfaces or fluids by means of wipes, swabs or fluid aliquots.